


A Little Irate and a Buck Short

by JustSmileStuffHappens (ksz13)



Series: Eddie Diaz Week 2020 [6]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Anger Management, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Bad Days, Bad Puns, Comfort No Hurt, Comfort/Angst, Coping, Crew as Family, Denial, Denial of Feelings, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Constipation, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Roller Coaster, Emotionally Repressed, Family, Family Feels, Feelings, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Help, Mental Health Issues, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Repression, Talking, Team, Team Bonding, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, Teamwork
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 11:54:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24849355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ksz13/pseuds/JustSmileStuffHappens
Summary: Eddie Diaz Week 2020: Day 6 - We Are FamilyEddie's having a bad day. Buck's M.I.A. The others have got him covered though.
Relationships: Christopher Diaz & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Eddie Diaz & Henrietta “Hen” Wilson, Eddie Diaz & Howie "Chimney" Han & Henrietta "Hen" Wilson, Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV) & Bobby Nash, Evan "Buck" Buckley & Christopher Diaz & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: Eddie Diaz Week 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1789354
Comments: 1
Kudos: 57





	A Little Irate and a Buck Short

**_A Little Irate and a Buck Short_ **

Eddie's day started off just _off_.

He couldn't describe it. Even if he tried. Which he didn't.

Talking wasn't his strong suit.

So he did what he did. He pushed aside his feelings and hoped they'd go away. 

Christopher needed to be woken up. Breakfast needed to be put together. They needed to get to where they had to be on time.

There was this inkling of agitation floating out there nebulously around him. Like a fly that flew by you constantly but you couldn't actually swat it away. 

Christopher helped. Getting him up took most of Eddie's focus. He couldn't feel bad around his son. Mostly because Christopher just gave off this light, this happiness that Eddie was proud he somehow hadn't dampened.

"Hey dad. My teacher said the sun is exploding to give us light. Do you think it hurts?" Christopher asked on the ride to drop him off before work.

That pulled Eddie out of his relaxed state of listening to music while checking on Christopher playing in the back.

"Huh? Uh. I don't know Christopher. Maybe. But a lot of people like the sun for what it does for us." Eddie said not sure how better to answer.

Some days he just tried his best.

Christopher must have taken it as an adequate reply though as he went back to playing.

Eddie came into the firehouse being alive with energy around him.

Everyone was hustling about doing their duties in the morning.

He paused in front of the locker room staring at the incessant clatter of fixing the truck up.

The hand on his shoulder got a jerk reaction out of him as his arm moved to block coming hit.

He stood there dumbstruck at Chimney who was making an odd face at his reaction.

"Sorry man. I was just coming to say Hi. You okay Eddie?" Chim asked like he hadn't almost gotten punched on reflex.

What was Eddie doing? 

"Uh. Sorry. I just- I'm gonna put my stuff away. Sorry." Eddie retreated into the locker room.

Chimney barely got out "It's okay Eddi-" before the door closed.

He came upstairs to them at the couches having a small meeting of those on main duty.

"Buck's out today. He said he had stomach pain." Bobby said while the alternative came in.

"It was appendicitis. Maddie's with him now." Chimney said.

That got a varied reaction out of all of them. 

And didn't Eddie know that hurt.

"A ladder truck and a tsunami couldn't keep him down. I'd give him three days at most before he's back on duty. He'll heal." Hen said to Chimney while they started getting their priorities.

Go figure. Eddie was so out of it this morning he hadn't noticed. And now he felt bad for it.

Buck was in pain and absent while Eddie hadn't known a bit. Why didn't he call to tell him?

The siren brought him out of his thoughts while they were checking things over after the meeting.

"Eddie, you're partnering up with Ted for today. Let's go, people." Bobby said, as they got in the truck.

It was a simple call but like usual complications arose. 

They had to get a guy out of an attic room that was sealed off. He was trying to check out his new house but either got lost or something like the door closed.

"Tom move." Eddie said while he was standing there excited to have gotten to use the battering ram on the door.

"It's Ted." He corrected.

"Right." Eddie told him.

They had to then find the crawl space the man first used.

They found that some boards had fallen to block his only exit. 

Once he was out he started having a coughing fit.

"Dust?"

"Allergy?"

They got him out to Hen and Chimney ASAP. Eddie could finally let out a breath he was holding without realizing it.

There wasn't another call for a while after that.

Hen was studying for her next exam as they finished their checks for the day. 

"Okay. So you didn't laugh when I made a joke about a broken humerus and I saw you earlier with Chimney. What's wrong Eddie?" Hen asked him, while bookmarking her page to focus on her friend.

Eddie sighed. "Nothing."

Hen didn't take his shitty excuse and gave him a look. 

"Okay. Something. I don't know." He avoided eye contact then. "I just- don't feel right. It's been like this since I woke up." 

"Hey. It's okay. We all have our off days." She said calmly.

Hen put a gentle hand on his shoulder and smiled at him. It was then that he noticed he hadn't flinched at that.

"Thanks."

"Hen! Eddie!" Bobby called out.

A tourist bus had gotten into an accident right in front of the station. Three people were more seriously hurt. 

Eddie and Hen joined the others as they treated the injured.

Chimney and Eddie worked to keep a woman stable while they got her out of the vehicle safely before transferring her.

Eddie nodded to Chim as he signaled he was ready to move her into the backboard. 

She was the last of the two to transfer in an ambulance as the third rode with their spouse and wasn't as badly hurt themselves.

"That was a good job out there Eddie." Bobby told him as they came inside once more.

The bus was about to be moved now to clear the parking lot entrance better and the street. 

"Yeah. They were lucky we were all right here and ready." He nodded in agreement.

"I couldn't help but notice this morning on that call. You were irritable with Ted. Everything okay?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah. No. I'm working on it. I- I'll go apologize."

"I'm sure you are. But if you need any help, you know where to find it. I'll be in my office Eddie,"

The rest of the shift went by quietly and fast with only one other small call. 

Ted accepted the apology and was surprised it was just a bad day for Eddie. He thought he'd been annoying to the firefighter he looked up to as an example.

He got home to Carla waiting near the door as he'd told her he was on his way.

"Sorry Eddie. The kids have chicken pox and my husband's useless even though he loves them to death." She shook her head before saying goodbye. 

"No problem. We've been there. Take care Carla. Sorry I couldn't come sooner." 

Christopher was watching TV after a snack and homework.

"Dad. I asked my teacher my question in class again today." 

"What did they say?"

"The sun doesn't feel it so I don't have to worry. But that it has to explode for other things to keep going. It's normal. Isn't that weird?" Christopher asked making a face.

"Huh. I guess so." Eddie sat down on the couch.

It was like the days muddled blanket of everything fell off of Eddie while he was right here.

They finished watching TV before Christopher told Eddie about the rest of his day and Eddie gave him little child friendly versions of his day in return.

"What's appendicitis?" Christopher asked.

"Oh. It's when this one part of your body hurts and it's gotta be taken out. But buck's gonna be just fine. We can see him tomorrow. I think he can't be let out for a few days. That's how I remember it happening to me." Eddie said.

"You and buck exploded?" Christopher asked, scared.

"No. It- it's not like that." Eddie thought about it. Technically- "It hurts for a bit but- it can happen to a lot of people. Doctor's know what to do though and he's already done from his surgery. All he's gotta do is rest and listen to what the doctors told him. Buck's gonna be okay bud," Eddie told him, soothing his fear.

"Okay. Can we get him a balloon or a bear? I think he'd love a bear. I would. I'll make him a special get well soon card." Christopher got up with his crutches and started towards his room with Eddie following.

God. This kid. His kid. He had so much love to share.

"We'll get him a bear." Eddie conceded defeat happily.

"We can make him happy and laugh." Christopher said while picking a color first. "Can he laugh after his surgery?" Chris frowned for a second.

"I don't- know. Maybe just a little laughing. And yeah. I'm sure he'll be happy to see us."

He could have used Buck's welcome distraction today. But the others helped him through it. And Bobby was right, he'd bring it up to Frank at his next session.

They'd go cheer up Buck and let him know they were there if and when he needed them. 

"Do you wanna sign the card dad?" Christopher pulled Eddie out of his thoughts.

"Hmm. Sure Christopher."

"I drew a bear in case we can't find one at the hospital."

Eddie wrote a joke that was appropriate for Christopher to see about buck having a bubbly personality that burst. 

Hopefully he liked it. Knowing buck he would.

Eddie knew how buck might feel and he's be sure to help him. What are friend's for?  
  



End file.
